The Beat Lives On
by Icepool123
Summary: A short oneshot of the reason why Anzu has such a passion for dancing. Slight Peachshipping.


**Icepool: I just had the most random of ideas.. **

**Jou: I'm pretty sure Anzu didn't have a sister.**

**Icepool: Thisis my story! **

**Jou:*flinches* Icepool doesn't own YuGiOh or the song I Hope You Dance. **

**Icepool: They belong to Kazuki Takahashi and Lee Ann Womack. I do own Anzu's sister though since she was my idea. Thank you Namara Jane Knight for unofficially beta-ing this for me!**

Let The Beat Live On

Oneshot

Anzu's brown eyes widened in nervousness as the curtain rose. After so many years of hard work, she was finally living her dream of dancing in New York. Once the red curtain had lifted enough to show the young woman's face, applause of approval roared and washed over her ears. Her nerves seemed to spike at all the attention directed at her. They settled a little when she spotted a familiar head of spiky hair in the dark mass of people. Yuugi had somehow managed to come from across the world just to see his girlfriend dance. Anzu smiled when she saw his thumbs up.

"We have a special show here tonight." A man's voiced boomed. "Performing solo for her first time in front of a formal audience, Anzu Mazaki, all the way from Domino, Japan." Anzu stepped closer to the microphone.

"I would like to dedicate my dance tonight for my sister, Hana. She is the one who inspired me to begin dancing and taught me that all you need in life is to be surrounded by those you love and a nice pair of ballet slippers." The dancer backed away again andstood with her head down. All the lights faded besides a soft, single spotlight on her.

The soft beginning of the music started. Anzu stood still a moment before standing tall with a leg behind her and her arm in a straight line with it. Fluidly she moved her arms around her head and turned her waist so she did not move her head, but was staring at the floor. She bent her knees and brought both arms out before rising again. Softly she kicked to the side. Anzu never got off beat.

The brunette twirled, sending her medium length brown hair flying around her, and fell to her knees. The words starting playing as did memories.

_I hope you never lose your sense of wonder_

_You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger_

_May you never take one single breath for granted_

_God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed_

Back twenty years ago, she was four years old, clutching her mother's white sundress and watching her much older sister stand on the tips of her toes. Slowly the teenager bent her waist and straightened her arms before moving her torso and bringing her arms over her head and spinning. Anzu stared in delighted wonder as Hana gracefully danced across the studio's hardwood floor. For as long as she could remember, her sister had captured her attention with her beautiful movement.

Hana was a stunning girl. She had long, black hair tied tightly in a bun and a slender dancer's body. Her sapphire gems acquired a special sparkle when she put on her ballet slippers.

Now in New York, Anzu thought about her sister's graceful movements. As she twirled, walked in circles, and followed the path of the song, all on her mind was copying the dead girl's dance.

_I hope youstill feel small when you stand beside the ocean_

_Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens_

_Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance_

_And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance_

Back in Domino, her sister had taken her everywhere. One specific memory was at the beach.

"Does the water go on for forever?"Anzu asked childishly. The other girl looked up from her writing and smiled.

"It has to be. The ocean is the sky's reflection. It goes on for forever to hold all the stars." The little girl played in the white sand before getting scooped up and twirled. Anzu let outa high-pitched squeal as the world blurred around her.

_I hope you dance_

_I hope you dance_

Tears made their way into her blue eyes, but did not fall. Anzu moved like the water and made her way from one end of the stage to the other.

_I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance_

_Never settle for the path of least resistance_

_Living might mean taking chances but they're worth taking_

_Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth making_

Hana looked down from the ledge she was sitting on and blew on her cigarette. Her little sister was staring at her like always, though for once in disappointment. She reached down and mussed up Anzu's brown locks. "Don't end up like me, alright? I want you to live life with no regrets." At the serious nod she was given, she smiled. "Another piece of advice, don't change for love, let love change you." She hopped down and gave the small girl a kiss on the forehead.

_Don't let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter_

_When you come close to selling out reconsider_

_Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance_

_And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance_

As she danced in her sister's memory, Anzu mouthed the words her sister sang toher almost every night. She almost tripped over her short skirt as she slidacross the floor, but refused to make a mistake.

Hana had helpedher start learning ballet. She would give the little girl encouraging words and helped position her arms correctly. They always ended up laughing.

_I hope you dance_

_(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)_

_I hope you dance_

_(Rolling us along)_

_I hope you dance_

_(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)_

_I hope you dance_

_(Where those years have gone)_

Suddenly Anzu saw the bad times behind her eyelids. Hana had started seeing a very bad man a few months after Anzu had turned six. She came home late into the night and even started skipping dance practice and eventually her dancer's body slowly transformed into a starved heroin addict's. The nights of kindergarten were filled with yelling and glass shattering.

_I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean_

_Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens_

_Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance_

_And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance_

One day, the sixteen year old took Anzu out of school and to an abandoned theater. Though the place was filthy and unused, Hana shone on the stage. Hana's song played enchantingly on the purple boom box. Never before had she danced this beautifully. Anzu thought as the dust flew magically around her sister, that everything would be good again.

Anzu still remembered every twist and turn because that night, Hana overdosed and died.

_Dance_

_I hope you dance_

_(Dance)_

_I hope you dance_

_(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)_

_I hope you dance_

_(Rolling us along)_

_I hope you dance_

_(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)_

_I hope you dance_

_(Where those years have gone)_

The song her sister sang every night turned into a cherished lullaby that haunted the hallways.

_Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder_

_(Dance)_

_Where those years have gone_

_(Dance)_

Anzu twirled one last time with her right leg bent at the knee and her foot on her other thigh. The music faded, and she faced the wall instead of everyone there. Only she knew what went on her head. After a stunned silence, the entire theater shook with laughter, crying, and whistles. She turned around and locked eyes with Yuugi. He had a certain twinkle in his amethyst eyes that made her wonder if he did know.

He tossed her abouquet of roses and she made a good point to catch it before bowing. Tears dripped onto her white ensemble. Yes, the boy had always been able to read her like a book. Talking to him about her broken past had helped her was the one who knew all along that her passion for dancing had been encouraged by Hana. Though the pain never faded from losing her sister, her friends and family had made it more bearable.

The teenager standing by the young woman smiled. She had never been more proud of her sister.


End file.
